OGALLALA, NE (IRN) – A 22-year-old Kansas man has been charged with vehicular homicide for the crash deaths of four Iowa residents in western Nebraska July 1. KWWL-TV reports a car driven by 22-year-old Jeser Cisneros-Hernandez, of Liberal, Kansas, crossed the centerline, striking two motorcycles carrying two people each. He told investigators that he’d had little rest the day of the crash while driving from his workplace in Sidney, Montana, home to Kansas.

OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – An Ottumwa man will spend decades in jail for attempted murder, according to KTVO-TV. 54-year-old Johnnie Lee Boutchee was sentenced to 40 years in prison for assaulting his girlfriend with a knife, and punching his roommate in the head and knocking him unconscious with a baseball bat.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The future of the downtown Des Moines site where the federal government wants to build a new courthouse could be in jeopardy, according to KCCI-TV. Federal officials were hoping to build an eight-story courthouse on the site of the old YMCA building along the river. Many in the city don’t like the idea, as it takes perhaps the most valued real estate asset in the state off the tax rolls, and prefer commercial development instead. The city council will vote on the measure soon.

WEBSTER CITY, IA (IRN) – A former school board member in Webster City has agreed to a plea deal in a child sex abuse investigation, even though he still says he didn’t do it, according to WHO-TV. Paul Stenger was arrested in December, and resigned from the Webster City School Board after his arrest. He says a jury would believe the testimony of a child over his, despite his innocence.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids woman says three men busted through the back door of her home early Tuesday morning. KCRG-TV reports the men beat her until she blacked out, then robbed her. Police are looking for the men.

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – The Clinton County Courthouse was evacuated yesterday because of structural damage, according to the Clinton Herald. Maintenance staff noticed a dislodged and rusted beam, and the building was evacuated for safety reasons. The Courthouse was dedicated in 1897 and officials say old age could be the cause.

HANCOCK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 27-year-old man is facing a felony domestic abuse charge after allegedly beating a woman and threatening to kill her. KIMT-TV reports Christopher Moore, of Crystal Lake, was jailed after an incident Wednesday that left a woman in the hospital. A witness said she saw the woman being yelled at, thrown around and being hit. The woman suffered neck, head, and jaw injuries.

UNDERWOOD, IA (IRN) – Two Omaha men face up to 24 charges for an alleged bank robbery in Underwood, Iowa. KETV reports 31-year-old Davon Williams and 24-year old Tyree Carney of Omaha spent about 20 minutes in the bank and allegedly used zip ties on nine people while they went through teller boxes, the vault, and the wallets and purses of customers.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old woman was assaulted and held at gunpoint Tuesday afternoon on the Greenbelt Trail in Clive. KCCI-TV reports police have arrested 20-year-old Robert Goodenough, of Clive, in connection with the assault. The woman says Goodenough tried to get her to accompany him off the trail. When she refused, he pointed what appeared to be a handgun toward her and attempted to force her into a wooded area. Goodenough struck the victim in the head multiple times before she was able to force the gun out of his hand and escape.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A car crash Wednesday evening in downtown Waterloo left at least five children injured, one with life-threatening injuries. KCRG-TV reports a pickup hit a minivan.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Three people were hospitalized after Council Bluffs police found them unconscious in a parking lot outside a gas station, suspected of overdosing on fentanyl. KETV reports shortly later, an ambulance responded to a house a few blocks away, where an unresponsive man was located. He is also suspected of overdosing on the synthetic opioid. Police think the incidents are related.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A big lottery “winner” is now a big loser. WHO-TV reports Christopher Breyfogle of Fort Dodge stole $20,000 dollars worth of lottery tickets from the convenience store where he worked, and cashed them in at other stores. He cashed in $11,000 worth before he was caught. He’s in jail.

FARRAGUT, IA (IRN) – A Thurman man has died after the skid loader he was operating overturned in southwest Iowa. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports 56-year-old Timothy Shirley was using the machine to remove trees from a ditch Tuesday when it overturned and came to rest with the cab facing down. Shirley was pronounced dead at the scene.

STORM LAKE, IA (IRN) -Tyson Foods has settled a 10-year-old class-action lawsuit and will disburse nearly $6 million to more than 3,900 current and former employees at a northwest Iowa pork plant. The Sioux City Journal reports that Storm Lake employees sued the Arkansas-based company in 2007 to collect back pay for the time they spent putting on and taking off protective work clothes and equipment before and after their work shifts. Each worker will receive about $1,700.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Prosecutors in Polk and Grundy counties have charged the former director of nursing at a Polk City facility with stealing opioid painkillers from patients. KCCI-TV reports 51-year-old Laura Townsend-Edler, of Gladbrook, allegedly stole hydrocodone from patients and falsified records.

WALNUT, IA (IRN) – A man faces 18 charges, accused of stealing from antique stores and churches in the western Iowa town of Walnut, according to KETV. People come from all over to visit Iowa’s antique city, searching for hidden treasure. But it’s been a rough road for the antique shops this past month. Through tips, investigators arrested Walnut resident Jason Anderson and officers said he turned over some of the stolen loot.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – The city of Fort Dodge has announced a winner in its competition to turn a grain bin into a work of art, but residents don’t like the winner. According to WHO-TV,
the city held a vote to choose a project to wrap around a massive concrete bin. The final product is expected to feature photos of people and places around the Fort Dodge area. However, the artist behind the winning piece is Australian, and people are complaining on social media that a local artist wasn’t chosen.

AMANA COLONIES, IA (IRN) – A small eastern Iowa town is about to get a lot busier, according to KCRG-TV. Whirlpool in Amana says it wants to hire at least 500 workers over the next three weeks. The company says this will help it keep up with demand for its refrigerators.

FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – A man accused of killing another inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary plans to assert self-defense during his murder trial. The Hawk Eye reports
Lha Southideth-Whiten has pled not guilty to second-degree murder in the slaying of Michael Whitworth during an Oct. 20 altercation in the Fort Madison prison’s cafeteria.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A 16-year-old is in critical condition after a near-drowning in Davenport yesterday. KWQC-TV reports the victim is in critical condition.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines Facebook page is getting backlash after some say its sole purpose is to cyberbully innocent people. KCCI-TV reports the Facebook page called “The People of Des Moines” has 37,000 members. Multiple posts a day consist of mocking innocent victims like homeless people. Someone posted a photo of Alexandria Horne shopping. She had no idea the photo was taken and was shocked to see hundreds of mean and violent comments making fun of her appearance. One person suggested she commit suicide. She wants people to know words hurt.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man says the rehabilitation center On With Life should be held partially responsible for the death of his dog. WHO-TV reports the dog fell 13 feet into a hole at a construction site. The rehab center says the man should have kept his dog on a leash.

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – First responders rescued three people from a sinking houseboat on the Mississippi River near Clinton Sunday. The Clinton Herald reports two adults, a child and two dogs were taken to safety.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Police in Dubuque are going to be doing something a little different as they try to enforce a new state law. KCRG-TV reports starting this fall, plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles will patrol streets looking specifically for people who are texting while driving. The new law took effect July 1.